“Genealogy is a global phenomenon and ultimately we’re looking at the worldwide stage.”Anne Wojcicki Co-founder of biotech company 23andme, is the wife of the billionaire co-founder of Google, Sergey Brin.

“We’d like to reach 98pc of the world, that is our goal,” says Wojcicki 33, and her 47-year-old business partner Linda Avey reckon their service represents the future of social networking.

In the same way that the likes of MySpace, Facebook, You Tube and Flickr allow users to share information in the shape of videos, photos or instant messaging. Wojcicki and Avey can see a time where people worldwide will share and compare their genetic details.

It only costs a thousand bucks to have the DNA test through 23andme, but the founders expect the price to drop soon. Google, the company, did make a preliminary investment in the startup company, along with some other investors, however Google is keeping “Hands Off” the operations of 23andme.

Anne Wojcicki did say that she would like to hire her husband Sergey. “We’re doing our best to poach him. We’ve even offered to double his salary to two dollars, but so far we have not been successful in luring him away from Google.”

Do we really want to go that far? How many members in a genealogical based groups would be eliminated such as DAR, Daughters of Union Veterans of Civil War and many others? It’s a scary proposition. Although I have been tempted at times to have it done but who has that kind of money? It would open up a can of worms. Where would it stop? Sounds a little “Big Brotherish”

Yes, You have my permission. There is another factor in DNA testing. What if they found defective hereditery genes, would they want to do away with the line? Too many grey areas to be made public. With red flags going up I think we should hold off.

My Rowsey Family has been talking about this too. Whether or not we should participate. Our line goes back to the 1600′s in Virginia with many plantations with Ralph Rowsey, his mother being my 13th g grandmother is Sarah Catlett. My 13th Ggrandfather Ludwick Rowzee was her second husband. Out of her line came Zachary Taylor and James Madison. After the Civil War we had nothing. But enough of that.

I have been ask to participate on my mothers side too with her side the “Shortsleeve/Shortslef/Courtemanche” who came to North America in the 1600′s and help settle New France..

Dick,I think it’s really important to understand the difference between the kind of test this company is doing and what is done for genealogical purposes. Their test looks at the full genome and reveals medical information and more. It is useful to medical science. Genealogical testing looks only at the y-chromosome and mitochondria DNA. It reveals nothing other than the profile that is passed down from father to son or mother to daughter and son in a very non-invasive way. The DNA that is looked at is so-called junk DNA because it does nothing other than reflect the single fact that a man or woman descends from other men and women with the same very limited but distinctive DNA. The latter can be exceedingly helpful in confirming one’s genealogy but does nothing more — no medical or other personal data that can be used by anyone.Doris